SCERA’s newfangled ‘Wizard of Oz’ features brains, heart, courage
The SCERA Center’s production of "The Wizard of Oz" opens June 8, 2012. Mark A. Philbrick/SCERA
The SCERA Center’s production of "The Wizard of Oz" opens June 8, 2012. Mark A. Philbrick/SCERA
The SCERA Center’s production of "The Wizard of Oz" opens Friday. Mark A. Philbrick/SCERA
The SCERA Center’s production of "The Wizard of Oz" opens June 8, 2012. Mark A. Philbrick/SCERA
The SCERA Center’s production of "The Wizard of Oz" opens June 8, 2012. Mark A. Philbrick/SCERA
The SCERA Center’s production of "The Wizard of Oz" opens June 8, 2012. Mark A. Philbrick/SCERA
It’s called “steampunk” — a contemporary entertainment and theatrical style that uses elements of the future in a setting fit for the past — and it’s being used by director Jeremy Showgren in the SCERA Center’s production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
“At the time of the story, the industrial movement was under way, so I’m adding a lot of metal work, gears, clocks and trains,” said Showgren in explanation of the show’s usage of steampunk. “Think of Sherlock Holmes and his guns, and the television series ‘Wild, Wild West’ with its gadgets. It’s like placing the future in the past.”
As for the spark behind Showgren’s decision to lace steampunk throughout the show, he attributes the idea to the SCERA’s instructions for him to invent a new version of the classic, and to a friend who initially introduced him to the unique style — one that he previously had no knowledge about.
“I didn’t know what it was, but went and looked it up,” Showgren said. “I thought it was fascinating and started to realize it’s popped up in popular culture a lot, but it had never been a plot point that a plot could build on.”
Once it was determined that steampunk was the way to go, it didn’t take long for cast and crew to buy into Showgren’s revolutionary idea.
“This cast has been absolutely incredible,” Showgren said. “We kept the steampunk idea a secret as much as we could. Then in the first cast member meeting, I explained the concept and why I was doing it, and the cast just jumped on board. They’ve really embraced it and taken ownership over this and made it our show.”
In regards to the SCERA’s first summer musical being its “own” unique creation, although it has the same story line as that portrayed in other productions of “The Wizard of Oz,” audiences will quickly realize that its visual aspects have never been incorporated into the famous journey taken by Dorothy and Co.
That said, not only have the sets for the production been designed with technological characteristics of the early 20th century, but the costumes donned by characters in the musical are of the steampunk variety as well.
“Every production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is a carbon copy of the movie,” Showgren said. “So the edge I was hoping to give it was a new take on all of these characters. You are not going to see costumes that are anything like the movie. They are very different from the movie.”
And according to the show’s Wicked Witch, played by Shoni Winkel, that difference and aesthetic creativity will assuredly give local residents a reason to come to the SCERA.
“I really like it because it still keeps the authenticity of the play but it adds a little bit of flair to it,” Winkel said. “It has a little bit more of an edge to it now that there is a lot of detail to what people are wearing.”
Besides a plethora of fancy costumes and sets, it should also be noted that Showgren has given Dorothy’s home an Oz-like twist in the musical.
“I try to make it so that everything in Oz has a representation in Kansas,” Showgren said. As an example of his comment, Showgren remarked that flying monkeys, indeed, will be seen by audience members before they are transported to Oz. Further, main characters will be represented in the same limelight while in Kansas as they are in Oz, and vice versa.
“In Kansas, I own half the county,” said Winkel of her on-stage personality. “In Oz, the Wicked Witch is still an owner of things. He [Showgren] wanted to show that when she is in Oz, she is still wealthy.”
All things aside, while some individuals may not catch every original bit and piece of the presentation, both Winkel and Showgren hope that people will walk away after the final act having at least captured the musical’s central theme and message.
“I hope they realize that Dorothy really loves her family and that there really is no place like home,” Winkel said.
The Wizard of Oz
When: Opens Friday and runs until June 23 with performances beginning nightly at 8 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Where: SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre, 745 S. State St., Orem
Tickets: General admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children, students and seniors; reserved seating is $12-$14 for adults and $10-$12 for children, students and seniors
Info: (801) 255-ARTS, www.scera.org